Barqs is a root beer--in fact, the only root beer known to have caffeine as one of its ingredients.

Never heard of it. I don't know if we even have it over here.

It may just be a stereotype, but non-Americans are pretty notorious for hating root beer. It's not very easy to find outside the states.

Well I'll vouch for the veracity of what you say. My own unscientific survey amongst my peers when McDonalds briefly intoduced root beer over here in the early '90s was a resounding thumbs down. I don't know if the taste varies from type to type, but what they were selling frankly tasted like mouthwash. I'd sooner drink the hideous fizzy fir-needle syrup stuff that some people make in Romania (and that tastes like pine disinfectant smells, only sweet).

James

« Last Edit: October 10, 2012, 10:14:28 AM by jmbejdl »

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We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.

We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

Yes, blonde beer is what I meant. Not something you want to taste IMHO.

How can you not like Blonde ales? They are so deliciously fruity and yet nutty, ale yeast gives such a wonderful complexity of flavors! I've switched to darks like Traditional Brown and Porter lately, but generally a good, crisp, Blonde belgian-style wheat ale is EXACTLY what I am looking for in a good beer

Even a blonde lager is pretty good, but obviously just more malty sweetness, let yeasty variety of flavors.

stay blessed,habte selassie

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"Yet stand aloof from stupid questionings and geneologies and strifes and fightings about law, for they are without benefit and vain." Titus 3:10

Yes, blonde beer is what I meant. Not something you want to taste IMHO.

How can you not like Blonde ales? They are so deliciously fruity and yet nutty, ale yeast gives such a wonderful complexity of flavors! I've switched to darks like Traditional Brown and Porter lately, but generally a good, crisp, Blonde belgian-style wheat ale is EXACTLY what I am looking for in a good beer

Even a blonde lager is pretty good, but obviously just more malty sweetness, let yeasty variety of flavors.

stay blessed,habte selassie

I had way too much hard liquor already when I started with the blonde beer, perhaps that was the reason, so I might give it another try while I'm still sober. But the blonde beer was warmish, I like my beer cold. Also, the taste was very strong.

« Last Edit: October 10, 2012, 11:22:03 AM by Cyrillic »

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That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain, The happy highways where I went And cannot come again.-A.E. Housman

Yes, blonde beer is what I meant. Not something you want to taste IMHO.

How can you not like Blonde ales? They are so deliciously fruity and yet nutty, ale yeast gives such a wonderful complexity of flavors! I've switched to darks like Traditional Brown and Porter lately, but generally a good, crisp, Blonde belgian-style wheat ale is EXACTLY what I am looking for in a good beer

Even a blonde lager is pretty good, but obviously just more malty sweetness, let yeasty variety of flavors.

stay blessed,habte selassie

I had way too much hard liquor already when I started with the blonde beer, perhaps that was the reason, so I might give it another try while I'm still sober. But the blonde beer was warmish, I like my beer cold. Also, the taste was very strong.

The first rule of drinking really good ales is you don't mix it with liquor.

The second rule of drinking really good ales is you don't mix it with liquor.

stay blessed,habte selassie

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"Yet stand aloof from stupid questionings and geneologies and strifes and fightings about law, for they are without benefit and vain." Titus 3:10

Yes, blonde beer is what I meant. Not something you want to taste IMHO.

How can you not like Blonde ales? They are so deliciously fruity and yet nutty, ale yeast gives such a wonderful complexity of flavors! I've switched to darks like Traditional Brown and Porter lately, but generally a good, crisp, Blonde belgian-style wheat ale is EXACTLY what I am looking for in a good beer

Even a blonde lager is pretty good, but obviously just more malty sweetness, let yeasty variety of flavors.

stay blessed,habte selassie

I had way too much hard liquor already when I started with the blonde beer, perhaps that was the reason, so I might give it another try while I'm still sober. But the blonde beer was warmish, I like my beer cold. Also, the taste was very strong.

The first rule of drinking really good ales is you don't mix it with liquor.

The second rule of drinking really good ales is you don't mix it with liquor.

stay blessed,habte selassie

I'm very much tempted now to buy some blond beer. Is drinking it cold OK or do you suggest it to be just below room temperature.

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That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain, The happy highways where I went And cannot come again.-A.E. Housman

Before becoming a monk, and George Bush Sr, was president, I went to the annual Ukrainian festival in NYC for St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Church. I'm not a beer drinker, but they advertised a beer that was flown over from Ukraine, called Kievan Monastery Ale. It was the best beer I ever tasted, so much so I had 2 glasses and never had a hangover the next day. It was a one time deal and I have never seen it since.

It was the best beer I ever tasted, so much so I had 2 glasses and never had a hangover the next day. It was a one time deal and I have never seen it since.

That is the benefit of quality ales, they don't have the sloppy buzz of a lager beer and almost rarely if ever have a noticeable hang over. In fact, I drank some good Traditional Brown with my step-pops and he was chasing it with whiskey, and he commented on the morning that it actually TOOK away his usual whiskey and beer hangover compared to the Budwater he usually drinks!

I'm very much tempted now to buy some blond beer. Is drinking it cold OK or do you suggest it to be just below room temperature.

Put it in the fridge, just not the freezer. Lager is cold brewed, so it tastes better ice cold. Ale is brewed at a relatively warmer temperature (around 10-15 degrees differential) and so its natural flavors and aromas are more pronounced at a warmer temperature. The "drink it warm" is a myth, cold is quite nice, just not too cold

I recommend some Belgian-style wheat ales which are technically blond by have the more robust diversity of malty sweetness to balance the strong yeast flavors. There are literally too many varieties of good brands to suggest any one over another, so pick up what ever is reasonably priced (i.e. what is on sale) that reads "Blonde" or "wheat" or "Belgian-style" because they are all essentially code words for a similar kind of ale. The difference between the three is so subtle as to not notice beer snobs aside

An all around good and commonly available Blonde ale is Leffe

stay blessed,habte selassie

« Last Edit: October 10, 2012, 03:33:35 PM by HabteSelassie »

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"Yet stand aloof from stupid questionings and geneologies and strifes and fightings about law, for they are without benefit and vain." Titus 3:10

You guys are too high faluntin' fancy for me. I like good old Yeungling Traditional Lager. Nothing fancy, not outrageously expensive, a local PA brew.

Too bad Rolling Rock isn't local PA anymore, I am curious to try some of the local beers which are still brewed at Ol Latrobe, I bet they are fantastic

I am cheaper than you can ever know in regards to beer, but even with my inherent cheapness, I still manage to find great beers at Budwater and Coors prices. Lately I've been drinking Underworld for 2.25 a 24oz out the door, and its high gravity so its almost like drinking two for one. The last twelve packs we picked up were Pyramid's new Fall Variety (with a delightfully good and STRONG Barleywine) and also a Sam Adams Fall Seasonal, both were $12 out the door..

My rule, ALL good beer is good, so buy whatever is on sale, it gives you a chance to try new beers you otherwise might not have gambled on. We tried some Ballast Point when it was on sale once, that beer is usually way over-priced, but when we tried it, it was sublimely good.

stay blessed,habte selassie

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"Yet stand aloof from stupid questionings and geneologies and strifes and fightings about law, for they are without benefit and vain." Titus 3:10

You guys are too high faluntin' fancy for me. I like good old Yeungling Traditional Lager. Nothing fancy, not outrageously expensive, a local PA brew.

You can't get any more local than the kitchen! If you buy the grains and hops and brew the beer yourself, you can quite easily make beer that rivals some of the best craft beer found at the store for 1/2 or 1/3 of the cost. One can easily spend $4.50 on one 12 oz bottle of beer imported from Belgium that has been exposed to all kinds of detrimental conditions in transit. Or, you can brew a belgian beer yourself with the same yeast (Chimay, Westmalle, etc.) and spend $4.50 for a six pack, so 1/6 of the cost. A nicely crafted beer that might sell for $9 a six pack in the store can be made for $4.50 a six pack at home.

It was the best beer I ever tasted, so much so I had 2 glasses and never had a hangover the next day.

The glasses must be very big if you want to have an hangover from just two glasses.

I've never been a drinker. In fact when I would go out with my friends I could nurse a can of beer ALL night, and be sick as a dog the next day.

It's good that you're not a western monk then, beer would be almost the only drink you would get

LOL, then I would have to be in a penitential Order for sure...

It is interesting that the Western monastic order that is most famous for its brewing is the Trappist order, or the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (OCSO), one of the strictest and most penitential of the Western orders. While Orthodox monasteries have been known more for their wine production and mead (in the case of Russia), I have very little information regarding the brewing of beer in Orthodox monasteries.

I generally really like the beers made by the local brewery Victory. I'm not sure how widely distributed they are in the US. I really enjoy their recent Headwaters pale ale...

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But it had not been in Tess's power - nor is it in anybody's power - to feel the whole truth of golden opinions while it is possible to profit by them. She - and how many more - might have ironically said to God with Saint Augustine, "Thou hast counselled a better course than thou hast permitted."

You guys are too high faluntin' fancy for me. I like good old Yeungling Traditional Lager. Nothing fancy, not outrageously expensive, a local PA brew.

I agree! Im not questioning whether or not anyone actually enjoys these beers, but its almost a "peeing" match to see who can come up with the rarest, most obscure beer on the planet.

Im not that picky. I love a good craft brew or "monk" beer, but I also have no shame in grabbing a sixer or coors light to watch football on a saturday.

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Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.

This is a local Atlanta brewery, but I think you can get it other places too. This particular beer is commonly referred to as a girl beer because its their "light" beer and has a sweeter blueberry flavor. However, the guy at the actual brewery told me that its really a breakfast beer. Boy is he right. If you ever have a chance to grab one of these with some french toast or something, it will blow your mind. And I dont normally like sweet beer, although this one is good because its not too overwhelming.

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Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.